Senate debates

Tuesday, 30 July 2019

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • National Broadband Network - Joint Standing, Joint Standing Committee on National Capital and External Territories; Meeting (1 speech)
    I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Farm Household Support Amendment Bill 2019; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time. Question agreed to. Bill read a first time.
  • Farm Household Support Amendment Bill 2019; Second Reading (20 speeches)
    I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speech read as follows— The Farm Household...
  • Farm Household Support Amendment Bill 2019; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    As no amendments to the bill have been circulated and as no senator requires a committee stage, I shall call the minister to move the third reading.
  • Health Insurance Amendment (Bonded Medical Programs Reform) Bill 2019; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    Last night I began my contribution on the Health Insurance Amendment (Bonded Medical Programs Reform) Bill, and in those introductory remarks I took a little bit of time to reflect on the very...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Economy (31 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. Can the minister confirm the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey released today shows that...
  • Employment (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business. Will the minister update the Senate on how the Morrison government is demonstrating it's on the side of local...
  • National Security (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Cash. When classified ASIO advice was leaked in February, ASIO Director-General Duncan Lewis said that when...
  • Gambling (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Leader of the Government representing the Prime Minister. Minister, in recent days we've heard allegations of serious corruption involving two federal ministers and one...
  • Australian Defence Force (12 speeches)
    My question is to the shareholder minister for ASC, Senator Cormann. Minister. Did you not tell the Senate FPA legislation committee on 23 May 2018 that no decision had been made to shift Collins...
  • Employment (22 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator Cash. In March this year, the minister's leader in the Senate, Senator Cormann, explained that wages...
  • Agriculture Industry (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. The Australian agricultural industry is leading the world in innovation and providing best practice in efficiencies, technology and sustainability....
  • Newstart Allowance (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. Minister, a constituent wrote to me about their experience living on Newstart: I'm 59 years old on Newstart,...
  • Workplace Relations (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Industrial Relations, Senator Payne. In 2016 the Fair Work Ombudsman report on the widespread theft of wages at 7-Eleven found that...
  • Association of Southeast Asian Nations (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Could the minister please update the Senate on the government's priorities in enhancing Australia's relationships in the Indo-Pacific region?
  • Pensions and Benefits (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Government Services, Senator Ruston. In May, Anastasia McCardel—the mother of Bruce McCardel, who was in receipt of a disability...
  • Mining Industry (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia. Could the minister update the Senate on any recent developments that could deliver further development of the gas industry and...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Economy, Employment, Workplace Relations (4 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Families and Social Services (Senator Ruston), the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business (Senator...
  • Answers to Questions (3 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Families and Social Services (Senator Ruston), the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business (Senator...
  • Gambling (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of an answer given by the Minister for Finance (Senator Cormann) to a question without notice asked today. In recent days, we've heard allegations of the most...
• Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
  • Agriculture Industry (2 speeches)
    In answering a question in question time, I made an unparliamentary remark that I would seek it withdraw. I'd like to apologise to the Senate. What I should have said was 'whingeing'. Thank you.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Department of the Environment and Energy; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, by no later than 9am on 31 July 2019, the following documents as listed on the "indexed list...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Moon Lake Investments (8 speeches)
    I move: (1) That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) on 23 February 2016, the then Treasurer, the Honourable Scott Morrison MP, announced his decision to approve the acquisition of...
  • Mining (16 speeches)
    At the request of Senators McDonald, Rennick, McGrath, Scarr and Stoker, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes:   (i) that the vast majority of Queenslanders support the Carmichael...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Welfare Reform; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister for Families and Social Services, by 1 August 2019, a list of the people and organisations who form part of the Cashless Debit Card...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (2 speeches)
    I ask that general business notice of motion No. 62 standing in my name for today relating to the establishment of the United Nations Parliamentary Assembly be taken as a formal motion.
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Family Law (6 speeches, 1 comment)
    Order! I inform the Senate that at 8.30 am today seven proposals were received in accordance with standing order 75. The question of which proposal would be submitted to the Senate was determined...
• Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    I'd like to acknowledge the presence in the President's gallery of the former Senator Bill Heffernan—nowadays, just plain Heffo. Good on you, mate. Honourable senators: Hear, hear!
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Family Law (1 speech)
    Former Senator Heffernan is a formidable member of the audience for anyone, but I'm sure that the new senator from New South Wales, Hollie Hughes, will impress everyone very shortly with her...
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
    I present additional information received by committees relating to estimates. The document was unavailable at the time of publishing.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Economics References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    At the request of the Chair of the Economics References Committee, Senator Gallacher, I present a report on matters referred to the committee during the previous parliament. Ordered that the...
  • Law Enforcement Committee, Public Accounts and Audit Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    The President has received letters requesting changes in the membership of committees.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Health Insurance Amendment (Bonded Medical Programs Reform) Bill 2019; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I rise to continue my contribution on the Health Insurance Amendment (Bonded Medical Programs Reform) Bill 2019 from earlier today. As I mentioned earlier, health care is a topic of much...
• First Speech (0 speeches)
  • (7 speeches)
    Pursuant to order, I now call Senator Hughes to make her first speech. I ask that the usual courtesies be extended to her.
• Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
  • Valedictory (12 speeches)
    Pursuant to order, the Senate will now move to valedictory statements.
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Fifield, Senator the Hon. Mitch (1 speech)
    It would be absolutely remiss of me not to say a few remarks about Senator Fifield in this adjournment debate. Unfortunately, I've only had the privilege of serving in the Senate with Senator...
  • Hospital Security (1 speech)
    This is not my first speech. I rise tonight to highlight the safety crisis at New South Wales public hospitals as a result of a failure of the state coalition government to invest in adequate...
  • Climate Change (1 speech)
    I rise to use my privileged place as Leader of the Australian Greens and senator in this national parliament to outline why Australia must join the 888 jurisdictions around the world to declare...
  • Byrne, Mr Neil (1 speech)
    Tonight I pay tribute to a dear friend and mentor of mine and many in the Western Australian labour movement: Neil Byrne, who passed away on 13 July. He was a well-respected and much-loved member...
  • Australian Society (1 speech)
    My condolences to Senator Pratt and other people in the Western Australian labour movement. I speak tonight to the people of this country who feel despair about the state of politics in Australia...
  • Sarcoma Awareness Month (1 speech)
    July is Sarcoma Awareness Month. I would like to take this brief opportunity to draw the attention of the Senate to the critical need that exists in the area of sarcoma treatment and research. A...
  • Energy (1 speech)
    As a servant to the people of Queensland and Australia, I want to discuss an issue that is dear to a lot of people in Queensland—our energy prices. I want to discuss the madness we are...
  • Royal Flying Doctor Service (1 speech)
    Everyone who lives in remote Australia loves the Royal Flying Doctor Service, but they hope they never need them. However, the reality of living and working on the land, and even travelling for...
  • Conservative Political Action Conference (2 speeches)
    In less than 10 days time a political conference is descending on Sydney. It's called the Conservative Political Action Conference, otherwise known as CPAC. CPAC is an annual event in the United...
  • Welfare Reform (1 speech)
    I rise tonight to speak on the lived experiences of the people currently subjected to the cashless debit card trials in the East Kimberley, Ceduna, Goldfields and Hinkler regions. While the...
  • Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (1 speech)
    The issue of the establishment of a Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability has been something upon which the community have been campaigning for...
  • Greyhound Racing (1 speech)
    Tonight I am speaking about one of my many passions: animals, in particular, greyhounds. Since 2018 hundreds of Australian greyhounds have been rescued from the infamous Yat Yuen greyhound racing...
  • Valedictory (1 speech)
    I rise to make some valedictory remarks about my friend, my mentor and my colleague Senator Mitch Fifield. Neither he or I could have known when, at age 19 as a precocious university student, I...